(a) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a tool used when detaching pipe fittings, and more particularly to a tube clamp detaching tool. The tube clamp detaching tool is used to flexibly expand a tube clamp fitted over the circumference of a flexible tube to facilitate pulling out and detaching flexible tubes.
(b) Description of the Prior Art
With the various types of fluid delivery tubing, a variety of adapter tubes (such as: T-branch tubes, bend connecting tubes) are often seen used to connect the flexible tubes together, or the flexible tubes are coupled to the tube fitting areas of various types of containers, valve components, and the like. In order ensure that the couplings between the flexible tubes and the aforementioned tubing matching parts, such as the adapter tubes or tube fittings, are firm and will not come loose, in general, a tube clamp is bound and fitted over the circumference of the end portions of the flexible tubes. The material properties of the tube clamp and the flexible tube are used to enable a tight connection between the flexible tube and the pipe fitting to ensure the connection does not come loose.
A tube clamp shown in FIG. 1 is commonly seen bound and fitted to the lower water pipe of a car radiator, and has an approximately annular main body (1). The body (1) is structured from a metal sheet, and the two ends of the metal sheet are bent towards each other to form a circular shape. A first ear piece (11) is bent and extends outward from one end of the main body (1). A rectangular though hole (12) penetrates the main body (1), and an indentation (13) penetrates the first ear piece (11) adjacent to one side thereof. The indentation (13) and the though hole (12) are connected to form one hole. The first ear piece (11) forms a limiting portion (14) at one side of the indentation (13). The other end of the main body (1) extends into the though hole (12), and a second ear piece (15) is bent and extends outward from this other end. A retaining portion (16) protrudes outward from the main body (1) at one side of the second ear piece (15). The retaining portion (16) is positioned relative to the indentation (13), and the retaining portion (16) is delimited between the first ear piece (11) and the second ear piece (15), as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. In addition, an embedding hole (17) is formed in the limiting portion (14).
When the aforementioned tube clamp is fitted to a flexible tube, the main body (1) uses its material flexibility to tightly bind and fit on the outer periphery of the flexible tube, thereby enabling the flexible tube to be tightly connected to a tube fitting.
In order to achieve the objective of replacing the flexible tube or the tube fitting, when it is required to separate the flexible tube from the tube fitting, then the restraint of the tube clamp on the flexible tube must be first removed, at which time the corresponding clamped first and second ear pieces (11), (15) draw close to each other, which causes the annular shaped main body (1) to flexibly expand and deform, thereby removing the restraint of the main body (1) on the flexible tube to facilitate subsequent detachment of the flexible tube.
When the corresponding clamped first and second clamp pieces (11), (15) draw close to each other causing the main body (1) to flexibly expand and deform, then the retaining portion (16) is displaced toward the indentation (13), whereupon the retaining portion (16) passes through the indentation (13). And when the first clamp piece (11) is positioned between the second clamp piece (15) and the retaining portion (16), then the retaining portion (16) is pushed sideward, causing the retaining portion (16) to be positioned relative to the limiting portion (14). At this time, the clamping force of the first and second clamp pieces (11), (15) is released, and the flexible restoring force of the main body (1) causes the retaining portion (16) to retain the limiting portion (14), and the end of the retaining portion (16) embeds into the embedding hole (17), thereby fixedly positioning the retaining portion (16) and enabling the main body (1) to maintain an expanded state, thus providing for convenient replacement or maintenance of the flexible tube or the pipe fitting.